The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is creating an unexpected challenge for data centre operators: finding enough electricity to keep their facilities running. With grid connections taking years and new power-generation equipment facing long delivery timelines, some companies are turning to an unusual alternative: engines taken from retired aircraft.
These jet engines are being refurbished and converted to run on natural gas, allowing them to generate electricity for data centres. While the approach offers a quicker way to secure power, it also raises concerns about efficiency and pollution.
The converted engines are emerging as a temporary solution for companies that cannot afford to wait several years for conventional power infrastructure.
Why data centres are turning to old jet engines
The biggest advantage of converted jet engines is the time they can save. Data centre developers are facing long queues for grid connections and new turbines, even as demand for computing capacity continues to rise.
Rystad Energy analyst Audun Martinsen shared that the priority for these companies is getting electricity as quickly as possible. He said data centres using jet-powered units could become operational within 24 months.
The comparison with grid connections highlights the scale of the problem. In Northern Virginia, connecting 100 megawatts of capacity to the electricity grid can take around seven years, according to the International Energy Agency.
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The delays are also beginning to affect business decisions. Microsoft recently withdrew as the anchor customer for Nscale’s data centre project in Loughton, England, after the local utility indicated that it would not be able to provide sufficient power until the early or middle of the 2030s.
xAI and OpenAI among companies using gas turbines
Elon Musk’s xAI is among the companies already using converted jet engines. The company has installed eight jet-engine-based turbines in Mississippi to help power its Colossus 2 data centre in Memphis, according to information cited by The New York Times.
The units are supplied by ProEnergy, which refurbishes a General Electric engine commonly used in Boeing aircraft and adapts it for electricity generation.
OpenAI also moved towards gas-powered generation in 2025, using turbines at its first Stargate site in Abilene, Texas. Crusoe, the Denver-based startup developing the campus, ordered 13 converted units from ProEnergy in April.
Crusoe had also explored a major turbine purchase from Boom Supersonic. In September, however, it withdrew from a $1.25 billion agreement to buy 29 natural gas turbines from the company. Boom, which is developing a supersonic passenger aircraft, has also started offering a version of its engine for data centre power generation.
Despite walking away from that deal, Crusoe said it remained committed to using turbines.
A faster solution with environmental trade-offs
Repurposing aircraft engines may help data centres overcome immediate electricity shortages, but the technology has drawbacks. Converted jet engines are less efficient and produce more pollution than turbines specifically designed for conventional gas power plants. They also require more units to generate an equivalent amount of electricity.
This could limit their usefulness as a long-term solution, particularly as concerns over energy consumption and emissions become more important.
The growing use of on-site power generation also reflects pressure on the electricity system. Data centre operators are increasingly looking beyond conventional grid connections as the demand for AI computing accelerates.
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The US administration has also encouraged data centres to generate their own electricity, adding to the momentum behind independent power arrangements.
For now, converted jet engines offer companies a way to bring facilities online sooner rather than wait years for grid access. However, their higher emissions and lower efficiency could make them a stopgap measure while the industry looks for more sustainable and reliable sources of electricity.